Nutrition in Sports

Running Cyclisme

Nutrition

Nutrition is an important parameter for athletic success. The advice given is only indicative, as doing sports is above all about enjoying oneself. Beyond sports, these tips allow for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

It is no longer to be demonstrated that the best diet for athletes is one in which meats tend to disappear and are replaced (advantageously) by fish and eggs. Of course, such a diet is based on green vegetables and starches. Here is where to find the essential elements for the body.

- Calories: Meat provides the most calories to the body, but by eating cereals (brown rice, millet, buckwheat, etc.), fresh fruits, and vegetables, the body will find enough calories to engage in endurance sports.

- Proteins: Eggs, skimmed milk, lean cheese, and soy are packed with high-quality proteins. Due to their consumption (1 to 1.5 g of protein per lost kg), vegetarian athletes must consume dairy products and eggs at least once a week.

- Iron: This nutrient is essential and is most easily found in red meat. However, soy replaces steak in this regard. But beware, fiber-rich foods (vegetables) diminish the benefits of this metal; that is why it is necessary to eat a variety of vegetables. Iron is also found in dried fruits (apricots, dates, prunes, raisins), cooked beans, and cereals. Ideally, they should be consumed with vitamin C-rich foods to facilitate their absorption by the body.

- Zinc: Chicken and fish are abundant in zinc. The latter helps eliminate carbon dioxide from muscles in full effort, increases the healing process, and strengthens the immune system. Beware, a vegetarian diet without fish or poultry does not provide the minimum required zinc content to the body.

- Calcium: 500 milligrams are required for the human body. They can be found by eating green vegetables (broccoli, calcium sulfate-treated tofu) or fish (especially shrimp and sardines).

- Vitamins A, B12, and D: Vegetarians may lack them unless they consume dairy products and eggs, enriched cereals, or cod liver oil.

- Carbohydrates: A vegetarian diet is rich in carbohydrates and is of high caloric value, which is why it improves athletes' endurance.

Healthy HDN diet: Sprouted seeds are very rich in vitamins and are a source of good quality proteins. In addition, they facilitate the assimilation of trace elements (zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum, selenium), and minerals (calcium, magnesium). The main germs are:

- Watercress (a first-rate vitamin C dispenser).
- Mustard.
- Blue alfalfa (rich in vitamins A, C, O, and E).
- Chickpeas (rich in vitamin A, B, C, and E, mineral substances, and trace elements).
- Lentils (vitamins A and B, a lot of vitamin C, iron, and phosphorus).
- Mung beans (contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as calcium).
- Flaxseeds (digestive ingredient for a grain-based diet).
- Wheat (rich in vitamins B, C, and E).

Some Trace Elements:

- Selenium: An essential trace element in humans, it is part of antioxidants: it protects cell membrane lipids against oxidation. It plays an important role in the metabolism of fatty acids in blood platelets. It interacts with vitamin E, which is also an antioxidant. It is involved in proper muscle function. The sources of selenium are milk, meats, and seafood.

Selenium plays a crucial role in all tissues of the human body, especially in cells of high metabolic activity such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and muscles which are, incidentally, the richest in selenium.

- Zinc is an essential trace element in humans, second only to iron. It has an important role as a catalyst in the body. It is a component of several enzymes and allows insulin to act with delay by slowing its release, thus increasing glucose tolerance. Zinc can be found in meats, seafood, cereals, fruits, and nuts.

Here are the essential HDN foods for a marathon runner:

- Carbohydrates: whole cane sugar, brown rice, bulgur wheat, millet, whole sourdough bread, dry beans, chickpeas.
- Lipids: one spoonful of wheat germ oil per day, one to two spoonfuls of cold-pressed sunflower or safflower oil per day.
- Proteins: one boiled egg per day, liver once a week, brain every two weeks, one spoonful of nutritional yeast per day.
- Fruits: at least two fruits per day.
- Raw vegetables: at least once a day.

Cycling Training
Managing your training, preparing your outings, monitoring your fitness level, being in tune with your body, in cycling as well as running, is called preparation and has only benefits afterwards.



Question : Does pedaling happen on the small or large chainring in cycling ?

Two tools allow for the Average speed calculation and Distance calculation in kilometers:

Preparation of the bike

The cyclist :
How to properly adjust your bike and position (saddle height, stem, frame height) : position on the bike. Reflections on cyclist visibility and the mandatory helmet.

Legendary bike rides

Paris-Brest-Paris : Bike ride about 1,200 km between Paris and Brest, strating from Rambouillet (78) - Time limit 90 hours - Characteristics : organised every 4 years, 6,000 participants, with over 60 nations represented.

Le 1000 du Sud : Brevet de Randonneurs of 1,000 km bike ride with elevation gain in complete autonomy, starting from Carcès (83 - Var) - Time limit 100 hours - Characteristics: Takes place in Provence, every year. Elevation gain exceeding 15,000 m in recent editions.

US Métro's Tour de France: Embark on a 4,800 km bike ride near the border, through the mountain passes of the Alps and the Pyrenees, that can be completed in either 30 or 60 days.